29 Conversion

Hey guys, I've had my 29sf for a couple weeks and I LOVE it. I have been thinking of getting a .40 barrel for it for the range and I have a few questions.

What is the most reliable approach? I have no plans to ever use the .40 for SD but I would like something that works...well...like a Glock....(I know I should buy a 27, I will, after the wife gets a full kitchen renovation.....)

Should I get a factory Glock barrel (the 27??)? Or should i look at a Lone Wolf or another manufacture?

Any other major (or minor) concerns with the conversion that I need to know?

You need a "conversion barrel." The G27 barrel will not fit the G29. Look at KKM, Lone Wolf, Storm Lake, Bar-Sto, etc. They all make "10mm-to-40 S&W" conversion barrels. You will simply use your 10mm magazines and load .40 S&W cartridges into it.

To expand on my above post in case you are wondering, the G27 barrel will not fit a G29 because the ejection port is a different size, the barrel outside diameter is different, the locking lugs are different sizes, etc. Even the barrel lengths are different! Basically all aspects of the two barrels are dimensionally different.

I don't have a conversion barrel but I have a KKM for my G29SF. I liked it so much I bought a KKM for my G19. Both are very accurate. I have thought about getting a conversion barrel, not sure if there is another one in my budget but it seems it would turn the 29 into a nice heavy duty 40.

captaintrips, food for thought! The KKM conversion barrel is $165 plus shipping, whatever that might be. How about spending less money, and getting a reloading set up, and just keep shooting 10MM's? Like I said, just a thought. Remember, you can load 10MM cheaper than buying 40 S&W ammo!

I don't have a conversion barrel but I have a KKM for my G29SF. I liked it so much I bought a KKM for my G19. Both are very accurate. I have thought about getting a conversion barrel, not sure if there is another one in my budget but it seems it would turn the 29 into a nice heavy duty 40.

Have you tried shooting .40 out of your G29 stk or AM bbl? I have and do all the time with great results. No conversion bbl. I load them myself to about 1.20" OAL. But if you don't reload your .40 cases, std factory ammo works just fine. Ppl will argue you can't or shouldn't do this and others, like myself do it without issues. It's a preference issue, IMO. As a side note, I do dry brush my chamber out afterwards or use a snake to get any unburned powder or other debris that may remain in the front of the chamber. This is mostly if i shoot 100+ .40 rnds and then switch to 10mm. The brush that comes with your Glock will suffice. Nothing fancy needed. But DO clean that chamber so the longer 10mm cases have a nice clean home. Now, some will argue it beats up on the extractor. I took mine out after about 500 rnds+ to get a magnified 360 look at it... no probs. I shoot 200-300 "40-in10" rnds almost every week.
I think your G29 will take a bigger beating from hot max 10mm loads more-so than .40's. YMMV..just food for thought. But neither have given me problems in my G20.

That's interesting. I'd like to be able to shoot .40's with no barrel change. I might be willing to risk the factory barrel but probably not the KKM, and extractors are $18 or so even if it got damaged. More concerning to me is safety but I'm not sure what could go wrong.

That's interesting. I'd like to be able to shoot .40's with no barrel change. I might be willing to risk the factory barrel but probably not the KKM, and extractors are $18 or so even if it got damaged. More concerning to me is safety but I'm not sure what could go wrong.

As Pasky said, just shoot 'em. I have thousands rounds through several 10mm barrels, including OEM's. If you break an extractor, it would have broke no matter what you were shooting. The Glock design head spaces on the extractor, no matter what you stuff in there. The chamber depth is a back-up. Definitely clean the chamber after a bunch of .40's, or a 10 may not chamber when you need it. I would NOT suggest relying on .40's in your 10 for SD or CCW, but wouldn't hesitate to shove in a mag of .40 if I had to (even in a G22 mag, which fits and works, BTW). The WORST thing that may happen, is it doesn't fire. The only time you may see that is if you hand-rack a round already chambered. The aftermarket barrels have their qualities. Shooting .40 in a 10 isn't one of them (exclusively).

As Pasky said, just shoot 'em. I have thousands rounds through several 10mm barrels, including OEM's. If you break an extractor, it would have broke no matter what you were shooting. The Glock design head spaces on the extractor, no matter what you stuff in there. The chamber depth is a back-up. Definitely clean the chamber after a bunch of .40's, or a 10 may not chamber when you need it. I would NOT suggest relying on .40's in your 10 for SD or CCW, but wouldn't hesitate to shove in a mag of .40 if I had to (even in a G22 mag, which fits and works, BTW). The WORST thing that may happen, is it doesn't fire. The only time you may see that is if you hand-rack a round already chambered. The aftermarket barrels have their qualities. Shooting .40 in a 10 isn't one of them (exclusively).

dm1906, I'll have to try the G22 mags... thanks. That'd work out great. Just to be clear re: my previous post, I don't use ANY handloads for SD/HD in any weapon.
OP/G29SFWTF, I use the .40's in my G20 for practice only. I usually leave the range with more .40 brass than I came with so it's economical too. Most of the fun is discovering what's best for you, yourself. ;-) Do what makes you feel safer. Maybe save that $$ and look into reloading, assuming u don't already?
All this is to say I don't use a conversion bbl to shoot .40's in my G20 but only for a specific purpose/reason.

dm1906, I'll have to try the G22 mags... thanks. That'd work out great. Just to be clear re: my previous post, I don't use ANY handloads for SD/HD in any weapon.
OP/G29SFWTF, I use the .40's in my G20 for practice only. I usually leave the range with more .40 brass than I came with so it's economical too. Most of the fun is discovering what's best for you, yourself. ;-) Do what makes you feel safer. Maybe save that $$ and look into reloading, assuming u don't already?
All this is to say I don't use a conversion bbl to shoot .40's in my G20 but only for a specific purpose/reason.

Of course, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should, at least in every situation. I don't have a .40 conversion barrel, and won't buy one. I shoot .40's in my 10's and in my .40's, because I can, and no other reason. I like my Gen3 G20 (non SF). I have XXXL hands, so it's a natural. The G22 is small, to me, and so is a 1911. Desert Eagle fits fine, though. I don't like the feel of the Gen4 pistols. Too small, and don't "fit", even with the largest backstrap. As I said, you can shoot .40's in your G20, but I suggest limiting it to ONLY range/target shooting. Not to say you couldn't/shouldn't do it when the ****e hits the blower. The G22 mags fit, but very loose. If it locks in, it's fine. If your mags or catch are worn (rounded off), they may not. If mags are worn out, Glock will replace them. If your catch is worn out, they're $3 at Glockmeister. Even with well used mags, a new catch will usually work fine. If they don't lock in, you can still hold them in (tea-cup) and they cycle fine. Again, not saying you should use G22 mags in your G20, only that you can, if you have to. "A man's got to know his limitations...."

I shoot more than 30 calibers/cartridges (never really counted, but it's at least that many), and I haven't spent $200 on "ammo" in the last 30+ years, if that says anything....

Using or not using handloads for SD/Carry is a personal choice. I carry handloads, but I do not recommend others do the same. Those I know who insist get their ammo from me, so I know what they have (and shoot them through).

Of course, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should, at least in every situation. I don't have a .40 conversion barrel, and won't buy one. I shoot .40's in my 10's and in my .40's, because I can, and no other reason. I like my Gen3 G20 (non SF). I have XXXL hands, so it's a natural. The G22 is small, to me, and so is a 1911. Desert Eagle fits fine, though. I don't like the feel of the Gen4 pistols. Too small, and don't "fit", even with the largest backstrap. As I said, you can shoot .40's in your G20, but I suggest limiting it to ONLY range/target shooting. Not to say you couldn't/shouldn't do it when the ****e hits the blower. The G22 mags fit, but very loose. If it locks in, it's fine. If your mags or catch are worn (rounded off), they may not. If mags are worn out, Glock will replace them. If your catch is worn out, they're $3 at Glockmeister. Even with well used mags, a new catch will usually work fine. If they don't lock in, you can still hold them in (tea-cup) and they cycle fine. Again, not saying you should use G22 mags in your G20, only that you can, if you have to. "A man's got to know his limitations...."

I shoot more than 30 calibers/cartridges (never really counted, but it's at least that many), and I haven't spent $200 on "ammo" in the last 30+ years, if that says anything....

Using or not using handloads for SD/Carry is a personal choice. I carry handloads, but I do not recommend others do the same. Those I know who insist get their ammo from me, so I know what they have (and shoot them through).

I'd take that ~$150 and put it towards a reloading setup. It will pay itself off in several months if you shoot a lot and in a year or so if you don't... but you'll be a better person for it.

If you MUST INSIST on buying a conversion barrel, get the cheapest one you can find ... it doesn't have to be anything special. LW comes to mind... (or one of the old Federal, Storm Lake or EFK barrels on clearance if you can find one)

I'd take that ~$150 and put it towards a reloading setup. It will pay itself off in several months if you shoot a lot and in a year or so if you don't... but you'll be a better person for it.

If you MUST INSIST on buying a conversion barrel, get the cheapest one you can find ... it doesn't have to be anything special. LW comes to mind... (or one of the old Federal, Storm Lake or EFK barrels on clearance if you can find one)

Agree, ... but "cheapest" doesn't have to mean "shoots the worst."

Actually, the relatively inexpensive LWD .40 tube for my G29, like the old (and now defunct) Federal Arms barrel for my G20 (cost then was, IIRC, $80), shoots better with average .40 fodder than any dedicated .40 guns I've shot, except perhaps one Sig 229 that was a surprisingly tight shooter.